Oil retainer for crankcase oil dippers



Feb. 21, 1950 H. L. THOMPSON on. RETAINER FOR CRANKCASE OIL DIPPERS Filed Aug. 27, 1948 INVENTOR HAROLD L. THOMPSON Patented Feb. 21 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE OIL RETAINER FOR CRANKCASE OIL DIPPERS Harold L. Thompson, Havre, Mont. Application August. 27, 1948;, Serial No. 46,487

4 Claims. 1

As is well known, the connecting rod bearings for internal combustion engines are lubricated by means of an oil scoop secured to. the under side of such bearings and adapted to supply oil to the bearings upon each revolution of the crankshaft. Such scoops are not entirely effective, as standard forms of scoops fail to; provide any means for retaining the scooped oil. therein while the bearing is not in contactwith the body of oil contained in the crankcase. In View of the fact that during themaj or portion of its revolution, the bearing is; out of contact with the oil in the crankcase, it is obviously important that the scooped oil be retained in the scoop for as long as possible.

With the foregoing in view, it is an object of my invention to provide any improved oil retainer for scoops of the class described.

A further object is to retainer for scoops of the class described which includes a retainer insertable in a scoop for retaining oil therein and means for detachably securing the retainer to; the scoop.

A further object is to provide an improved oil retainer for scoops of the class described which comprises a strip insertable in the scoop, means for detachablyconnecting the strip to the scoop, and said strip being formed with means for retaining oil in said scoop.

Other objects and advantages reside in the par ticular structure of the invention, combination and arrangement of the several parts thereof, and will be, readily understood by those: skilled in the art upon reference to the atttached drawing in connection with the following specification, wherein the invention is shown, described and claimed.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary vertical cross-sectional view through a crankcase of an internal combustion engine showing a conventional oil scoop applied thereto:

Figure 2 is a plan View of a scoop showing the retainer vention applied thereto;

Figure 3 is a bottom plan view of the structure shown in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the plane of the line 44 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a view like Figure 4, but on a reduced scale and showing the invention applied to a connecting rod bearing.

Referring specifically to the drawing, wherein like reference characters have been used throughconventional oil according to the inprovide an improved oil out the several views to designate like parts, and referring at first to Figure 1, l0 designates any suitable crankcase for an internal combustion engine which includes a pan or the like It for supporting a body l2. of lubricating oil therein. A, connecting rod I3, which is aflixed to any suitable piston, not shown, is movable through. the crankcase in the usual manner. The lower end of the connecting rod is provided with the usual split bushing or bearing M. which is secured in place about the crankpin 9 by the usual connecting rod cap IS. The cap I5 is secured to the connecting rod by the usual studs or nuts I! which likewise serve toclamp to the under surface of the cap I 5 a plate |6- having. a lower portion formed to provide an oil scoop I8. The plate 16 generally conforms to the shape of the under surface of the camp 15 and in the usual practice, the cap and bearings are provided with aligned openings 2!], whereby oil scooped by the scoop- I8 is forced between the bearings and the crank pin 9. As so far described, the structure is conventional and forms no part of the present-invention.

As is readily seen in Figure 5, in the absence of any oil-retaining means for the scoop l8, oil scooped thereby will rapidly drain from aboutlthe crankpin. 9 through the lowermost openings 20 in the bearings and bearing cap l5. This-isrbecause the floor portion 2 I: of the scoop l8 isisubstantiahy smooth and downwardly inclined, whereby there is no impedance to the return flow ofoil once the connecting rod rises above, the body of oil I2; As best seen in FiguresZ. 3 and 4, I have provided an improved oil-retarding means generally indicated at 22. Such means comprises a strip of any suitable material which is preferably flexible and preferably coextensive in length and width with the floor 2| of the scoop l8. Such strip is formed with means for retaining scooped oil in the scoop whereby the return fiow of scooped oil from the bearings l4 and 9 is materially retarded. In the embodiment shown, the strip includes a portion 23 which is of Zig-zag configuration providing alternate riser and tread portions 24 and 25 which extend transversely of the scoop. Preferably, the tread portions 25 are downwardly and rearwardly inclined whereby to provide means a minimum of resistance the scoop and to the bearings. The retainer 22 includes a lower end 26 which is rearwardly directed along the floor of the scoop and exterinrlv thereof and which terminates in a free end 21 lying along the under surface of the plate Hi. The retainer 22 likewise includes an upper end 28 which extends between the plate It and the under surface of the bearing cap Hi. The upper end 28 of the retainer is formed with at least one laterally-directed tab 29 which is adapted to be at least partially wrapped around the plate l6 so as to overlie the free end 21 of the lower end 26 of the retainer. Thus, the upper end of the retainer is securely clamped between the plate l6 and the cover cap [5, while the lower end 26 is secured to the tab 29, whereby the retainer is securely but detachably retained in place relative to the scoop l8. Obviously, the tab 29 could be omitted and the lower end 28 formed of spring material, whereby to provide a clip for securin the device in place. However, I prefer to form the device as shown of relatively thin material, whereby the upper end 28 is readily insertable between the plate l6 and the cap without modifying either structure.

While I have shown and described what is now thought to be a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the same is susceptible of other forms and expressions. Consequently, I do not limit myself to the precise structure shown and described hereinabove except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

1. The combination with an oil dipper for a connecting rod bearing, said dipper including a plate detachably secured to the under side of said bearing and a scoop depending from said plate, of an oil-retaining strip extending longitudinally of said scoop interiorly thereof, said strip being formed with means for retaining oil in said scoop, said strip including an integral lower end extending longitudinally of said scoop exteriorly thereof, said strip including an upper end extendlng between said plate and said under Side of said bearing, and said upper end including at least one laterally-directed tab extending at least partially around said plate and said lower end of said strip to secure said strip to said scoop.

2. The combination with an oil dipper for a connecting rod bearing, said dipper including a plate detachably secured to the under side of said bearing and a scoop depending from said plate, of an oil-retaining strip extending longitudinally of= said scoop interiorly thereof, said strip being of zig-zag configuration whereby to provide means for retaining oil in said scoop, said strip including an integral lower end extending longitudinally of said scoop exteriorly thereof, said strip including an upper end extending between said plate and said under side of said bearing, and said upper end including at least one laterally-directed tab extending at least partially around said plate and said lower end of said strip to secure said strip to said scoop.

3. The combination with an oil dipper for a connecting rod bearing, said dipper including a plate detachably secured to the under side of said bearing and a scoop depending from said plate, of an oil-retaining strip extending longitudinally of said scoop interiorly thereof, said strip being of zig-zag configuration whereby to provide a series of alternate riser and tread formations extending transversely of said scoop, said tread formations comprising means for retaining oil in said scoop, said strip including an integral lower end extending longitudinally of said scoop exteriol'ly thereof, said strip including an upper end extending between said plate and said under side of said bearing, and said upper end including at least one laterally-directed tab extending at least partially around said plate and said lower end of said strip to secure said strip to said scoop.

4. The combination with an oil dipper for a connecting rod bearing, said dipper including a plate detachably secured to the under side of said bearing and a scoop depending from said plate, of an oil-retaining strip extending longitudinally of said scoop interiorly thereof, said strip being of zig-zag configuration whereby to provide a series of alternate riser and tread formations extending transversely of said scoop, said tread formations being downwardly and rearwardly inclined and comprising means for retaining oil in said scoop, said strip including an integral lower end extending longitudinally of said scoop exteriorly thereof, said strip including an upper end extending between said plate and said under side of said bearing, and said upper end including at least one laterally-directed tab extending at least partially around said plate and said lower end of said strip to secure said strip to said scoop.

HAROLD L. THOMPSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,392,592 Nelson Oct. 4, 1921 1,428,751 Burke Sept. 12, 1922 

